Resources for ages 9-11 in Language & Literature

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Painting by Zekana Alien Deng, aged 15, Sudanese, Kakuma refugee camp.

© UNHCR/Zekana Alien Deng

The deaf man and the blind man

in Sybella Wilkes, One day we had to run!, (London, Evans Brothers, 1994)

Once upon a time there were two men, one deaf and one blind, who lived in the same town. One day there was fighting and the people of the town decided to move to another place. The deaf man saw everyone leaving, but didn't understand why. The blind man heard everybody leaving but couldn't follow. They were both left feeling very sad.

Some people told the blind man where to go, but he didn't know how to follow his people because he didn't have any eyes. The deaf man couldn't hear the instructions of how to follow his people. The blind man called for help, but the deaf man could not hear him. Luckily the deaf man saw the blind man. He took his hand, and using hand language they worked out where the people had gone. When they arrived in the town, the king saw them. He was amazed when he heard their story, and promised that they would never be left again.

Batula Mohammed Ali, aged 13, Somali.